Management Information System: Lost Files in a Hospital - Essay Example

Management Information System As the CEO of the most renowned Health Service Organization, my proposal to the Board of Directors is upgrading and largely improving the Management Information System in several ways with respect to the recent regretful situation that occurred in the organization. I took urgent actions with immediate effect to analyze where exactly the problem was and the possible solutions that can be applied to solve it instantly. I managed to hire an extra nurse who joined the organization and went undercover to inspect the rotation and safety of information and sensitive documents in the organization. It is through the negative facts that the nurse presented to me that I was able to find out the possible solutions for the problem. I have always been very effective in working with the organizations and so as my habit goes I was able to present the solutions as demanded by the board of directors. The faults I identified might be quite expensive to fix but the results are worth spending for. If not fixed now, leakage of information may cause even greater damage in the near future. The best security the organization should offer is security for the patients’ information. It is well known as the main duty of every medical institution apart from the duty of providing ultimate care. An estimated $150,000 will be needed in fixing the security situation once and for all. Some more $120,000 will be required for computer training. I can comfortably promise the board that there will be no regression if all my recommendations are attended to fully. This will include upgrading the entire I.T department, installation of up to date surveillance systems, and educating the nurses on the importance of computer security. As much as we train our employees, it would also be of much help we hired more trained and experienced employees to assist in directing our own. This will only cost the organization at most an extra $60,000. Apart from the problem of using a Management Information System that is not upgraded, the organization is also facing other problems that resulted to the agony. This is all from the results that were presented before me by the nurse that I hired. Basically, the other major problem is the level of ignorance of the employees as far as maintenance of the security for the organization is concerned. According to the report I received, many nurses log in with their passwords then leave the system open and accessible to any stranger. This enhances leakage of important and preserved information of the organization. The solution for this is to make the nurses aware of how dangerous this can be (Information Systems). By so doing, it will help them realize the importance of shutting down the system before they leave the job premises. The best way to accomplish this is through educating the nurses on how to ensure their systems are secure and only accessible by themselves. This may require additional resources from the organization as an educator may be hired for this task. It was also found that Dr. Jones, who has great access to the most important details of the organization leaves his password taped on the PC on a piece of paper. This makes it exposed to anyone who crisscrosses his places of work and having it means great access to the most important and sensitive private parts of the organization. This means the privacy of the organization is at risk. Definitely, there can never be further questions regarding how the incidence occurred with some evidence of careless management of private and sensitive data. There is course for alarm when proper security is not even maintained in the senior offices where most of the important information is expected to flock (Global Microsoft Dynamics Experts). The issue of passwords seems to be very wide spread. It was also noted that one password was largely shared among the nurses: Lillian, Lucy and Maureen to open different sectors of the organization’s systems. This is quite another threat to the privacy and security of the most relevant documents in the organization. This means that if only one password leaks to outsiders, they may be able to access any part they target easily. Joseph was able to cause the damage through this penetration. This needs to be taken care of before it leads to worse situations in the organization as far as the patients’ information is concerned. My consultant went further in proving how real the problem is by explaining to me how she would borrow passwords from Michelle whenever she forgot hers. I went ahead in finding out whether the whole feedback is true and I found out that it was all true. Many of the documents could be accessed by use of only one password. Nurses especially, need to be requested to change some passwords and set others for the sake of safety of documents in the entire organization especially where patients make registrations. Our colleagues here need to know that being the best Health Service Organization, we have countless enemies and it is our duty to defend the organization and the patients from attacks by these enemies. Our competitors could do anything to bring us down and we should go an extra mile as far as being cautious is concerned. Apart from the password issue, it was also found that several nurses including Jane, Florence, and Ann as well as several medical officers that incorporate John and Andrew are reluctant in handling the private documents with the care they deserve. My consultant was able to find out that the nurses and medical officers did not question people before handling sensitive patients’ files to them. The consultant reported to me that on asking Joshua for these and other important files, he cared less on reasons as to why they were needed and on what grounds they were asked for. This shows high level of recklessness as well as irresponsibility that subjects important documents to the risk of leakage. This was therefore how Peter managed to steal important documents, then, exposed them to the printers of newspapers. However, the solution remains to create awareness among employees on the importance of protection of sensitive job materials against exposure to strangers (Buchbinder and Shanks 36-47). Making the individuals aware of the damage that can be done by loss of certain information could help in realization of this quest. Rooms where fax machines and printers are kept were also found to be open most times without locks. This again explains why anyone would make it in accessing any document they require so as to set up the organization and bring it down in such a manner as it happened. The blame again goes to the nurses especially and any other medical officer. Even the secretaries working in this organization and receptionists need to play their part in ensuring tight security prevails in those offices that contain any document or machine that could expose the privacy of the organization. The nursing department has to make an effort in proper arrangement of files and documents in addition to locking of rooms just to ensure protection against leakage of any information. This would be a great solution in boosting and improving security in the entire organization. The nurses and medical officers need to go through better training and seminars where they will be made to understand how important it is to maintain safety of documents in such an organization as this. The above results mean that there is a serious problem with the MIS of the organization and many solutions should be found to fix the problem with immediate effect. From most of the presented problems, it is clear enough that the employees need training on how to keep documents and other sensitive materials safe in the organization. The board of directors needs to take immediate action in informing and creating awareness amongst the organization’s staff on how cautious everyone needs to be especially now that our enemies have established war against us. It would be in order if the weakness of every medical officer in the organization is recognized as preservation of sensitive and important information so that everyone can be alert on how to register improvements. The secretaries and those handling data systems in the organization need to get motivated vigorously about details protection. If possible, security cameras may also need to be fixed and added in some of the departments that handle sensitive documents. This will help to monitor the employees and alert the board on those that will continue to recklessly leave doors unlocked and such cases. In addition, the camera footage can be used in undertaking investigations to determine the individual who was responsible for the leak of information (Buchbinder and Shanks 45-53). I recommend that cameras be installed in every room within the premises. In other departments such as the IT department, these cameras may also be required in spotting any stranger who sneaks in offices to steal information deliberately. It will only cost the organization around $300,000. When the cameras spot no intruder, then those working in the offices should be in a position to provide explanations as to how information leaked. This will greatly contribute in identification of specific individuals who played part in leakage of any information. Addition of these cameras however, will require quite a huge amount of money to cover all the sensitive parts of the organization. The organization will require the most up to date surveillance system to serve this important purpose. During the computer security examination, it was also noted that the staff members have no program in their computers to remind them to keep changing their passwords on a regular basis. Such a program is very important because some of the highlighted problems would not be there if it were fixed. The database in the entire organization, including the human resources, would not be controlled and accessed with one password, as it is the case currently. On making further consultations with the IT department, the whole system for the entire organization may require to be updated. Some expenses still will be experienced in achieving this. Some software may need to be purchased and installed so that the issue can be fixed once and for all. New machines such as laptops were also proposed for effectiveness of this department. The security of our online data lies in their control. I would therefore suggest we direct much of our efforts in boosting the department’s productivity. One of the challenges that the information management of an organization is likely to face is little support from the senior management. I therefore would like to urge our able board of directors to take part in supporting the implementation of solutions recommended by all departments especially the IT department in fighting against insecurity of data. To achieve a proper and fruitful medical direction as we have always done before, unity is an important aspect that should be embraced by the senior management especially. It is therefore my sincere hope that the board will consider trying out the recommendations (Robertson). Other problems that are commonly faced by management information systems include the limitation of resources to improve or manage the system. In our case, being one of the most renowned organization I am sure we do not experience the problem of resources in the organization to take care of such a system that has proved to be more than delicate. Let these resources be utilized therefore, by building up a strong Management Information System that cannot be interfered with. This way we will have secured and covered the entire organization against the risk of data leakage (Quinn). To the four thousand patients who are already suing the organization, I would like to embrace the chance and begin by sincerely apologizing for embarrassing and letting you down. I as the CEO recognize the fact that the organization failed your trust and hope that you had banked in us. Secondly, I would like to view the brighter side of the situation. You were used to help this renowned organization in identification of its weak point, which in this case seems to be handling of sensitive data and upgrading it. It is through the incidence that involved you as the victims that this organization has managed to identify various areas of concern that will be addressed to reach greater heights and probably achieve its dreams in offering ultimate quality services to its patients. We wish, hope and pray that you will not quit being our patients, for if you would find a place in your hearts to forgive us, you are the best thing that has ever happened to this entire organization. Considering the fact that you have really helped us upgrade, it is only fair that we make efforts to protect you as our patients from such agony in the future. I promise to make effective efforts towards protecting you from such kind of embarrassment again. One of these efforts that I promise to propose to the board and request for implementation is offering our patients identity theft security, which will help secure you from cases of theft of data. This will help in identification of culprits in case a customer’s information is stolen. On identification of the event of theft, the respective insurance cover will assist the patient in compensation. When compensation takes place, we will have served the patients in the best way possible. It is only through you that we were able to realize and come up with these helpful ideas. Let this be a situation to build and not to destroy the relationship between the company and the patients (Lifelock, Inc.). Works Cited Buchbinder, Sharon and Shanks, Nancy. Introduction to Health Care Management. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 2012. Print. Global Microsoft Dynamics Experts. 29 May. 2015. Web. 30 May. 2015. https://www.hso.com/uk/ Information Systems. n.d. Web. 30 May. 2015. http://www.fib.upc.edu/en/estudiar-enginyeria-informatica/especialitats-grau/sistemes-informacio.html Lifelock, Inc. Other Benefits of Life Lock. 2015. Web. 30 May. 2015. http://www.lifelock.com/ Quinn, L. 15 Ways to Use Software to Improve Your Organizations Knowledge Management. Sept. 2006. Web. 30 May. 2015. http://www.idealware.org/articles/software_for_km.php  Robertson, J. 10 principles of effective information management. n.d. Web. 30 May. 2015. http://www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_effectiveim/ Read More